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Tag: KT&G

  • KT&G Launches HTPs in Kazakhstan

    KT&G Launches HTPs in Kazakhstan

    KT&G launched its FLEX heated tobacco device and FAIIM tobacco sticks in Kazakhstan recently, marking its entry into the country’s heated tobacco market. The products are locally branded versions of the company’s lil AIBLE device and AIIM sticks sold in South Korea. Initial distribution is limited to Almaty, with plans to gradually expand sales channels. KT&G has also opened a FLEX flagship store at Forum Mall in Almaty, offering product information, customer consultations, and other services.

    The launch is part of KT&G’s strategy to expand its next-generation products business internationally. The company said it is also working to establish local manufacturing facilities and expand distribution networks through its Kazakhstan subsidiary. KT&G said it plans to build on its existing conventional cigarette business while developing its heated tobacco presence in the market.

  • KT&G Reports Record Revenue, Forecasts $5.2B in Annual Sales

    KT&G Reports Record Revenue, Forecasts $5.2B in Annual Sales

    KT&G reported record quarterly revenue of 1.91 trillion won ($1.4 billion) for the three months ended Sept. 30, up 4.3% year over year, while operating profit increased 13.9% to 530.1 billion won ($392.3 million). The South Korean tobacco company expects full-year revenue of 7 trillion won ($5.2 billion) and operating profit of 1.5 trillion won ($1.1 billion), compared with 6.58 trillion won ($4.9 billion) and 1.35 trillion won ($999 million), respectively, in 2025. Its tobacco business generated revenue of 1.31 trillion won ($969 million), up 6%, and operating profit of 425.5 billion won ($314.9 million), up 14.4%. Overseas cigarette sales recorded a 10th consecutive quarter of growth, with quarterly records for volume and revenue, while KT&G maintained its leading position in South Korea’s heated tobacco market.

    KT&G plans to expand cigarette sales into about 30 additional countries, increase premium sales of brands such as ESSE, and expand its direct overseas heated tobacco operations. Its LOOP nicotine pouch brand aims to reach about 70 countries by 2030. The company also expects to save more than 550 billion won ($407 million) over four years through global production optimization, including a new Indonesian plant. KT&G will increase its annual dividend by 33.3% to 8,000 won ($5.92) per share and raise its payout ratio to at least 75% by 2030. Beginning next year, it plans to buy back and cancel 1.2 trillion won ($888 million)  in shares over four years. Including dividends, total shareholder returns are expected to exceed 5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) during that period.

  • KT&G Opens Second Indonesian Plant

    KT&G Opens Second Indonesian Plant

    KT&G Corp. announced that it has begun operations at its second tobacco manufacturing plant in Indonesia as it expands its production and export capacity in Southeast Asia. The facility in Pasuruan, East Java, has an annual capacity of 21 billion cigarettes, joining the Surabaya plant to bring KT&G’s total Indonesian capacity to 35 billion cigarettes. The company said the new plant will serve as a manufacturing base for exports to neighboring countries and other markets.

    KT&G operates tobacco plants in South Korea, Russia, Turkey, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, with its four overseas plants expected to reach combined annual capacity of 65 billion cigarettes. The company aims to generate half of its sales overseas by 2027 and is targeting 10 trillion won ($6.8 billion) in sales next year, up from 6.58 trillion won in 2025. Conventional cigarettes account for about 90% of sales, with the remainder coming from heat-not-burn products.

  • South Korea’s Tobacco Companies Take Different Strategies on Alternatives

    South Korea’s Tobacco Companies Take Different Strategies on Alternatives

    South Korea’s major tobacco companies are taking different approaches to the growing e-cigarette market, according to Business Post. KT&G is focusing on premium products, Philip Morris Korea is expanding into liquid e-cigarettes, and BAT is strengthening its heated-tobacco lineup as competition in the country’s alternative nicotine market intensifies.

    The article says these strategies reflect broader efforts to expand beyond traditional cigarettes and capture demand for newer nicotine products. KT&G, Philip Morris, and BAT have established positions in South Korea’s heated-tobacco market, while the companies are increasingly broadening their portfolios across different categories of electronic nicotine products.

  • KT&G Partners with Lamborghini on 3-Second HTP 

    KT&G Partners with Lamborghini on 3-Second HTP 

    KT&G announced it is partnering with the Italian high-end lifestyle brand to launch the Lil Tonino Lamborghini heated tobacco device in South Korea on Sept. 15, featuring new “flashwave heating technology” that uses microwaves to heat the stick internally. Its three-second preheating time is more than five times faster than existing products. 

    The premium device features a full-metal aluminum body, color display, and dedicated interface showing heating status, battery level, and remaining puffs. It will be offered in four colors, with sales through 8,300 Seoul convenience stores and Lil’s online and flagship stores. 

    KT&G will also introduce five dedicated NAU stick variants. The launch marks the first major Lil brand platform update since 2022, as KT&G seeks to strengthen its position in next-generation tobacco products. 

  • KT&G Opens Second-Half Recruitment

    KT&G Opens Second-Half Recruitment

    KT&G opened its second-half 2026 recruitment for entry-level and experienced employees as the company looks to strengthen talent supporting overseas expansion and future growth. The recruitment includes separate tracks for entry-level office, entry-level field, and experienced positions.

    Office-based openings include business planning, overseas business, brand management, manufacturing, supply chain management, and R&D. Field positions are available in sales and production, while experienced hires are sought for quality assurance and control, brand management, and overseas market development. Experienced candidates are expected to have about seven years of relevant experience.

    Applications for field and experienced positions are open through Aug. 26, while office-based applications will be accepted through Sept. 10. The selection process includes document screening, an AI video interview, practical and executive interviews, a medical examination, and final selection. KT&G said all stages will use blind hiring and an AI competency assessment to promote objective and transparent evaluation.

  • KT&G Raises Forecast After Record First-Half

    KT&G Raises Forecast After Record First-Half

    KT&G raised its full-year guidance after reporting record first-half revenue and a fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit profit growth. Second-quarter revenue increased 9.9% year over year to 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion), while operating profit rose 18.5% to 414.5 billion won ($290 million). First-half revenue reached a record 3.4 trillion won ($2.4 billion), prompting the company to increase its 2026 outlook to 5%-7% revenue growth and 10%-13% operating profit growth.

    Growth was driven by the tobacco business, where overseas revenue climbed 18.9% and operating profit surged 45.6% on higher sales volumes and price increases. KT&G also reported a 23.8% increase in next-generation products revenue, led by heated tobacco products, while maintaining a 67.9% share of South Korea’s cigarette market and a 48.2% share of the domestic heated tobacco segment. The company also increased its interim dividend to 2,000 won ($1.40) per share, reaffirmed plans for additional share buybacks and cancellations, and said it will introduce a new heated tobacco product in the second half of the year.

  • ASF Launches LOOP in South Africa

    ASF Launches LOOP in South Africa

    Another Snus Factory (ASF), the Swedish nicotine pouch manufacturer acquired by KT&G and Altria in late 2025, launched its flagship LOOP nicotine pouch brand in South Africa through local distributor Venture South (Pty) Ltd. The initial rollout targets the Johannesburg and Cape Town markets with three products — LOOP Jalapeño Lime Hyper Strong, LOOP Red Chili Melon Hyper Strong, and LOOP Habanero Mint Hyper Strong — with plans to expand distribution based on consumer demand.

    ASF said South Africa, the largest nicotine pouch market in Africa, will serve as a strategic base for broader regional expansion. The launch supports KT&G’s strategy to expand its presence in the global nicotine pouch category following its joint acquisition of ASF with Altria, as the company continues to diversify its next-generation product portfolio and international footprint.

  • Capital Group Increases KT&G Ownership to 8.22%

    Capital Group Increases KT&G Ownership to 8.22%

    U.S.-based investment manager Capital Research and Management Company increased its stake in South Korea’s KT&G to 8.22%, continuing a series of purchases that began in May and signaling growing confidence in the tobacco company’s international growth strategy. Capital Group now holds about 8.53 million shares, up from 7.21% in June and 5.61% in May, according to regulatory filings.

    KT&G said the increased investment reflects recognition of its growth potential as the company continues to expand overseas, following record first-quarter international cigarette sales of 559.6 billion won ($363.7 million). The company reported first-quarter revenue of 1.7 trillion won ($1.1 billion), and operating profit of 364.5 billion won ($236.9 million), up 14.3% and 27.6%, respectively, from a year earlier, and said it plans to introduce a new shareholder return policy later this year.

  • BlackRock Increases Stake in KT&G

    BlackRock Increases Stake in KT&G

    BlackRock announced that it acquired an additional 467,350 shares of KT&G over the past four months, increasing its stake in the Korean company from 5.01% to 6.15%. The move follows a similar investment by Capital Group, which recently raised its holding to 7.21%, helping push foreign ownership of KT&G above 51%. The increased foreign investment reflects confidence in the company’s earnings outlook, supported by strong international tobacco sales and expectations for enhanced shareholder returns.

    KT&G’s overseas cigarette business continues to drive growth, with first-quarter revenue rising 24.6% year-on-year and operating profit increasing 56.1%, aided in part by strategic price increases. The company has also intensified engagement with international investors through roadshows and other investor-relations activities and plans to introduce a new shareholder return policy in the second half of 2026, with stronger dividend payouts expected to be a key feature. KT&G said the rising stakes held by major global asset managers demonstrate confidence in its long-term growth strategy and commitment to delivering industry-leading returns to shareholders.